Abela freezes media protection legislation at First Reading, agrees to open consultation process

Robert Abela has agreed to freeze media protection legislation tabled in parliament and wait for a public consultation process to take place after meeting the Institute of Maltese Journalists.

The Prime Minister made the commitment not to move forward with the parliamentary process beyond the First Reading stage and has asked the Experts Committee to open a consultation process on the proposed Bills.

The development comes after Abela met IGM officials Matthew Xuereb and Kurt Sansone at Castille this evening. Both officials, who are members of the Experts Committee threatened to resign earlier this week unless the Bills are withdrawn and a consultation process is held.

In a letter addressed to Judge Michael Mallia, chairman of the Committee of Experts on the Media, Abela asked the committee to open a consultation process on the media reform Bills.

“On my part, I inform you that I do not find any objection to the committee proceeding this way and that an updated report will eventually be sent,” Abela wrote in his letter to Mallia.

This though will only happen if the committee chaired by Mallia agrees with such a suggestion.

Abela said in his letter that the Bills will remain at First Reading stage pending the committee's feedback.

Xuereb and Sansone had expressed disappointment with the Bills government put forward last week.

IĠM satisfied that common sense has prevailed

The IGM said that it is satisfied that common sense has prevailed and the process will not go ahead before meaningful public consultation takes place.

“The IĠM will continue to press for the widest public consultation possible to be undertaken by the Committee of Experts on which it is represented.”

IĠM also explained how at the meeting, it was agreed that the Prime Minister will write to Judge Michael Mallia who chairs the Committee of Experts, asking it to hold a consultation process on the proposed Bills as requested by the IĠM.

“The Prime Minister made a commitment not to move forward with the parliamentary process until the government receives the feedback from the Committee following the consultation exercise.”

PN insists Bills must be withdrawn

Nationalist Party justice spokesperson Karol Aquilina insisted that government should withdraw the Bills rather than leaving them pending in parliament.

He said rather than hold the public consultation itself, government was shifting it onto third parties. "It is clear that government is not interested in listening directly to those involved in the media sector to understand what needs to change," Aquilina said.

The PN is insisting that the only Bills presented in parliament should be ones on which wide public consultation would have taken place. The party will continue its consultation exercise with media stakeholders.

Read the Prime Minister's letter to the Experts Committee chair: